He came to this country from Mexico with his parents in 1912. Nine years later. at the age of 20. he was convicted of burglary in Texas and served 14 months in prison. with time off for good behavior. Benitez was then deported to Mexico. and in 1926. with the Attorney Generals permission. he was permitted to return to this country. Benitez lived an exemplary life from that time on. and always regretted the crime of his youth. In 1949. he applied for naturalization and was told. when his record was checked. that he was not entitled to it. Not only that. but he was served with a warrant of arrest because it was deemed that his original reentry in 1926 was unlawful. and in the investigators opinion should not have been granted to him. Benitez applied for the privilege of voluntary departure under the seventh proviso. which would entitle him to return on another visa regardless of the legality of his 1926 entry. because he had had a good record for at least 7 years. This matter was debated for 2 years. and Immigration denied voluntary departure and ordered him deported. This would have meant that he could never return to the United States. His family. all American citizens. would have had to become exiles in order to be with him. including his disabled veteran son.
Keywords matched
naturalization deported Immigration visa